Can't manipulate linked or appended objects that were made with 2.79 inside 2.8
The symbols resembling a chain link in front of an Object stand for linked objects.
They definitely only appear if you link to an object instead of appending it. 

If you append an object, you create a local copy of an object from another .blend file, which can be manipulated like any other object. If you link to an object in another .blend file, you can't manipulate this linked object, instead you have to manipulate it in the original file. 

To create a local copy of a linked object, click on the object with the chain link symbol, click on "Object" in the "Properties" panel, then hit the chain link symbol on the right side of the Object selector dropdown.